4th Azerbaijan-Belarus ICT Business Forum held

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Today, within the framework of the 24th Azerbaijan International Exhibition and Conference 'Telecommunications, Innovations and High Technologies' Bakutel-2018, the 4th Azerbaijan-Belarus ICT Business Forum was held.

Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan Elmir Valizade, said that this event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Communications and Informatisation of the Republic of Belarus. It is held in the framework of Bakutel-2018, at which Belarus participates with its national pavilion. According to him, the forum takes place in the year of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our countries. 'I would like to note with special feeling the recent successful official visit of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr Ilham Aliyev to the Republic of Belarus. During this visit, a number of documents were signed in the areas of cooperation, among which is the 'Protocol of Intent on the Development of Cooperation in the Field of Communications and Information and Communication Technologies between the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Communications and Informatisation of the Republic of Belarus.' I am confident that this document will contribute to the development and strengthening of bilateral cooperation between our countries, and we will have to put all this into practice. Based on the above, additional responsibility falls on today's Forum, and we should discuss and outline directions for the development of our cooperation.'

E.Valizade stressed that the intensive cooperation of our states in the field of ICT contributes to the strengthening of the potential of both countries and the introduction of advanced technologies and innovations in all areas.

Then the Head of the Operational-Analytical Centre under the President of the Republic of Belarus, Sergey Zhernosek spoke. He noted that issues of cooperation between public and private structures of the two countries operating in the field of ICT were discussed at the event.

During the event, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Information and Computing Centre of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Scientific and Engineering Republican Unitary Enterprise 'Institute of Applied Software Systems' of the Ministry of Communications and Informatisation of the Republic of Belarus.

The main purpose of the memorandum is to develop joint projects and cooperation in their promotion in connection with the alignment with the digital markets of the Eastern Partnership countries of the European Union within the EU4Digital program. As part of this cooperation, there are envisaged coordination of work and integration of planning efforts in inter-regional projects, implementation of projects (e-commerce, e-logistics) of the EU4Digital program, joint organisation of activities of local projects and marketing issues to promote digital systems, reliable services, electronic commerce and logistics and digital transport corridors in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Belarus, the preparation of joint proposals and the formation of a multidisciplinary project consortium, including the implementation of the program EU4Digital projects in Eastern Partnership countries.

In addition, according to the memorandum valid for 1 year, the parties agreed to exchange knowledge and experience in the areas of reliable services, e-commerce, e-logistics, information exchange on existing regulatory documents and technical standards in the framework of joint activities and projects in the relevant spheres, ensuring the participation of specialists in specialised fields at EU4Digital seminars and other issues.

In addition, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between Azerpocht LLC and the Republican unitary enterprise of postal service Belpochta. The purpose of the Memorandum is to develop and strengthen cooperation in the field of postal services, finance and electronic services between the parties. Note that Belpochta is one of the main partners of Azerpocht in the international postal exchange. The volume of mail sent from Azerbaijan to Belarus in 2017-2018 for designated postal operators of the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Azerbaijan amounted to 1987 kg, and from Belarus to Azerbaijan - 1781 kg.

Azerbaijan’s only national postal operator, Azerpocht, has been implementing the international HUB project in the field of sending and delivering e-commerce products for more than 2 years. In the implementation of this project, Belpochta is also one of the main partners of Azerpocht.

The cooperation document signed with Belpochta will help simplify postal and financial services between the designated operators of the two countries, EMS and logistics, develop e-commerce projects, international mail transport, tracking systems, technical support to facilitate electronic data exchange, traffic optimisation, procedures for processing parcels, registered and unregistered mailings, registration of electronic mailings.

Also Aztelecom LLC and Beltelecom Republican Unitary Enterprise signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies.

The purpose of the Memorandum is to develop cooperation in the field of communications by supporting and implementing joint activities between Beltelecom and Aztelecom LLC in the context of sharing information and experience, increasing competition in the international telecommunications market.

According to the Memorandum, the promotion of high-quality and efficient communication technologies and services, joint consultations and active cooperation in the framework of joint communication projects, the exchange of specialists and experts, the organisation of joint seminars, symposia and exhibitions will be carried out.

Then, the responsible persons of Beltelecom, NYULEND LLC, the Republican Unitary Enterprise National Traffic Exchange Centre from the Belarusian side, and of Aztelecom LLC, Baku Telephone Communication LLC on the Azerbaijani side made speeches on the prospects for the development of the communications sector.

On the topic of digital transformation, presentations were made by Belpochta, the National Unitary Enterprise National Electronic Services, Giprosvyaz OJSC, the Scientific Engineering Republican Unitary Enterprise Institute of Applied Software Systems, the Information and Computing Centre and Azerpocht LLC.